October 20, 2006

Semper Fi

If you plan to see "Flags of our Fathers," let me point you to an earlier movie about one of the protagonists: "The Outsider", starring Tony Curtis as the Indian Ira Hayes. Made in 1961, I have no idea how well it played nationwide, but I saw it in Bagdad, Arizona at the drive-in theater my aunt and uncle owned there. It was quite a film. It focused on Hayes's descent into alcoholism after the war. His exploitation (with the other members of the flag-raising team at Iwo Jima) by the propaganda machine which sent them out on that war bond tour depicted in the new movie contributed pretty heavily to his disillusionment.

I should note that I've read the book on which "Flags" is based, and it's excellent. Since Eastwood directed the new film, I have little doubt that it will be equally good. Kenneth Turan of the LA Times thinks so.